Childcare and molluscum contagiosum

[Susie]

DD has 3 spots of molluscum contagiosum on the back of her thigh.  I was pretty sure that's what it was (I had it on my arm as a kid), she went to the pedi yesterday, and it is.  They were kind of ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ about it.  She's 5, and they prefer not to freeze them off on kids that young.  H took her so I don't know all the details, but the recommendation was just to cover each of the three with a dot bandaid and she Rx'ed some kind of ointment to put on it, but said not to expect much in the way of results, we just need to let it run its course.  She suggested we could have DD wipe down the toilet seat with a clorox wipe to prevent transmission in the family, we've also been having her shower instead of take baths.

Anyway, today at summer camp she announced that she needed clorox wipes for the bathroom, and that started a whole chain of phone calls that resulted in her being excluded.  She is not allowed back until the pedi writes a note that she is not contagious.

I mean... it's not "not contagious," she caught it somewhere, and she could transmit it to someone else.  Warts are contagious too.  It won't go away for months.  WTF are parents supposed to do?  She's 5 and we need childcare to work.  We're calling the pedi, but a note that "she isn't contagious" seems unlikely.  One that's qualified, like "she wouldn't spread it as long as they're covered" might be possible?  IDK.  

I am not especially concerned about the medical end of things, I know from personal experience that it's annoying and then it fades.  But what are your parenting experiences around this with child care/etc.?  Her summer camp is also her before/after school care provider, so if she's out until it resolves, omg. 

[joy]

My kid has this now. It’s the result of a viral infection (post-viral rash) and isn’t contagious. It can take a year for the child to be clear of bumps and there is little to be done. Have your pediatrician write a note of explanation.

My daughter started with three and now has dozens. Buckle up.

EDiT - my childcare has said not one word about it. The bumps are noticeable.

[karinothing]

Umm that is insane. My kids took nearly 18 months to clear up. Child care mentioned it. I told them, then they did not care. Maybe just a note to daycare giving some more detail? I am not sure, what is strange.

[Jalapeñomel]

FYI: I bought the molluscum OTC meds by Zymadem, and it went away in a couple of weeks.

(Sorry I’m not normal on MMM, but this post popped up on my front page)

[dcn]

That’s crazy. My kids both have it, the oldest one for over a year now. We just cover any bumps that are angry looking with a bandaid. Hopefully your pedi can give them something that is acceptable.

[abs]

That is crazy.

It took 4 years for DD's to go away. Yes, 4.

[Susie]

I'm at least glad to see I'm not alone in thinking they are being super extra about this.  

There would never be a good time for it, but with all the childcare disruptions we have had for every sniffle in the last year, it is particularly unwelcome.  

I am especially annoyed that they called H first, who called me, and then they called me and reiterated what H told me they told him.  So inefficient.  I told them I wanted them to call H -- they had already started off the morning by calling H, H is the one who drops her off/picks her up, he WFH in the same town, he is the one who will pick her up early if needed, and he is the one who took her to the pedi yesterday and was therefore better equipped to answer their questions.  And they kept plowing forward with, well what we need from you is this note that says blah blah.  Like what part of "please call H" was I unclear about?  As RBG famously said, "This child has two parents."  

[waverly]

Our childcare never mentioned it. We covered it with duct tape because the tape reacts to it and causes it to infect. Treat it with antibiotic ointment after it infects and then it clears up.

It was never a problem for childcare. The doctor should be able to write a note that says OK for childcare. They don’t need to write it like “not infectious”.

It’s just cleared for childcare/ school or not.

[icedcoffee]

That is crazy. DS1 had it for almost 2 years. Daycare never mentioned it. My kids bathed together and DS2 never got it. It's not as contagious as people say it is. I bet your pedi will just write a note that it's not a reason to be excluded and then roll their eyes at your camp.

Wiping the toilet seat each time is probably a little extra, TBH.

[waverly]

Aug 6, 2021 10:01:00 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

That is crazy. DS1 had it for almost 2 years. Daycare never mentioned it. My kids bathed together and DS2 never got it. It's not as contagious as people say it is. I bet your pedi will just write a note that it's not a reason to be excluded and then roll their eyes at your camp.

Wiping the toilet seat each time is probably a little extra, TBH.

I agree that wiping the toilet seat each time is extra. DD had it on her knee, so it wouldn’t touch the toilet, but we never changed any of our cleaning or bathing habits and no one else in the family or childcare ever got it.

[Susie]

Aug 6, 2021 10:01:00 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Wiping the toilet seat each time is probably a little extra, TBH.

Yeah probably, and IDK how much that was the pedi advocating for that vs. the pedi offering it as a "if it makes you sleep better" sort of thing, since I wasn't there.  It didn't make sense to me to do it at home if it's not important enough to do elsewhere.

ETA:  I'm also annoyed at DD, we told her not to make a thing out of it, but she loves attention and has no filter.  So here we are.  Ugh.

I am glad to hear of siblings who didn't share it.  I know it's NBD, but I'd still rather DS not have it to if we can avoid it.  I don't remember anyone in the family having it when I did.  I remember it started on the inside of my elbow, where I do still have some nominal scarring from several in a straight line, and it spread all over that arm and a couple on the other arm.  

[af1212]

My only addition to this thread is that I am a Girl Scout leader and a kid showed up to a camping trip once with this all up her arm and on her chin and neck.

I would really, really have appreciated if the parents would have given me some info about it before dropping and going.

[savan]

I always shudder when I see the word molluscum because DS had such an awful time with it. His immune system reacted to it with a full body rash which was repeatedly misdiagnosed because the molluscum seemed harmless in comparison. I had to send him to school in long sleeves and pants so they’d stop calling me freaking out about his skin. We saw the pediatrician, a dermatologist, and an allergist, before a pediatric dermatologist finally connected the rash to the molluscum. In the end, we had them frozen off and his skin returned to normal.

Through all of that, the rest of the family stayed molluscum free.

[puppylove64]

Ds has had a few for many months and they haven’t bothered him or looked bad. He finally got one on his face and I took him to the dermatologist. She told me what it was, I had no idea. She gave us no treatments and said his immune system was handling it fine on his own. We have made practically no changes and no one else in the household has gotten any. We also have a pool and they bathe together often, share pool towels, etc.

Hopefully a simple explanation and dr note will suffice. She can’t stay out of daycare for possibly years for it.

[devonpow]

Aug 6, 2021 12:12:45 GMT -5 savan said:

I always shudder when I see the word molluscum because DS had such an awful time with it. His immune system reacted to it with a full body rash which was repeatedly misdiagnosed because the molluscum seemed harmless in comparison. I had to send him to school in long sleeves and pants so they’d stop calling me freaking out about his skin. We saw the pediatrician, a dermatologist, and an allergist, before a pediatric dermatologist finally connected the rash to the molluscum. In the end, we had them frozen off and his skin returned to normal.

Through all of that, the rest of the family stayed molluscum free.

DS1 had a terrible experience as well. It triggered a whole round of follicular eczema and a full body awful rash for a long time. Lots of meds, biopsies etc.

It IS contagious . But easy to avoid if you keep the area covered.

[gretchenindisguise]

We used this on both kids and it worked well.

www.amazon.com/Urban-ReLeaf-Shingles-Molluscum-outbreaks/dp/B01N42GA4X/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=lemon+balm&qid=1628271338&sr=8-2

[Susie]

After all of that, her pedi wrote a one-line note that just says she can return to school today and her rash isn't contagious.  At this point - sure.  Sounds fine to me.  We had asked for a note that she was ok to return with it covered, because that's what the pedi instructed us to do anyway yesterday -- treat with Rx Imiquimod and cover with dot bandaids.  

What an unnecessary exercise this all was, and what hot mess communication.  H is done with hearings for today but is taking her back to camp until EOD just to make a point about the absurdity, lol. 

[tiki]

So I had this for ~15 years as a kid. My mom says I caught it from a neighbor in kindergarten or first grade, and I think I finally stopped noticing new ones sometime in college. To my knowledge neither of my siblings or anyone I've ever dated ended up with them. I do think it's this weird case of a viral infection where yes it is technically spread from person to person, but under such limited circumstances that it's effectively "not contagious". I could see how a summer camp would have had a hard time navigating that and need extra documentation in the context of a viral global pandemic.

[achi]

I haven’t run across it with our boys but my ex-FI had it when we were together. We nave no idea where he caught it and he wasn’t cheating (to this day he says he wasn’t, and honestly he’s so not the type). I never caught it despite it being on his thighs for awhile before either of us noticed.

[kershnic]

Glad you got it cleared up.

Each of my kids has had it once, several years apart so no connection. Each took maybe 6 months to clear up. No one else got it from them, including each other. Kid 1 had one spot on her face, never spread otherwise. Kid 2 had a bunch of spots on her neck and trunk and kept getting more because she would scratch at them (not itchy, just didn’t like having bumps). We got her to stop and it finally stopped spreading. Daycare never cared at all.

[Saudade]

Aug 8, 2021 17:59:00 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Aug 6, 2021 15:29:53 GMT -5 achi said:

I haven’t run across it with our boys but my ex-FI had it when we were together. We nave no idea where he caught it and he wasn’t cheating (to this day he says he wasn’t, and honestly he’s so not the type). I never caught it despite it being on his thighs for awhile before either of us noticed.

Well, it’s not an STD. 😆 

If it's in the genital area, it is!

[Saudade]

Aug 8, 2021 18:05:10 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Aug 8, 2021 18:02:07 GMT -5 Saudade said:

If it's in the genital area, it is!

Just never heard it brought up regarding cheating! Lol

It wouldn't be my first thought 😂

[achi]

Aug 8, 2021 18:06:30 GMT -5 Saudade said:

Aug 8, 2021 18:05:10 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Just never heard it brought up regarding cheating! Lol

It wouldn't be my first thought 😂

lol well when we went to see his doctor (I was there too) he said that his son had also had it and asked his son if he was fooling around.

[waverly]

I thought it was more like cold sores like you have the dormant virus. But maybe I’m wrong if no adults get it typically.

[karinothing]

Aug 8, 2021 19:29:33 GMT -5 waverly said:

I thought it was more like cold sores like you have the dormant virus. But maybe I’m wrong if no adults get it typically.

Adults get it as an STD, generally in adults with weakened immune system. However, it is NOT like herpes, it doesn't remain dormant. If you get new lesions after you are cured, it means you are re-infected. 

[achi]

Aug 9, 2021 5:40:47 GMT -5 karinothing said:

Aug 8, 2021 19:29:33 GMT -5 waverly said:

I thought it was more like cold sores like you have the dormant virus. But maybe I’m wrong if no adults get it typically.

Adults get it as an STD, generally in adults with weakened immune system. However, it is NOT like herpes, it doesn't remain dormant. If you get new lesions after you are cured, it means you are re-infected. 

Well that makes sense. He had a bad case of mono not that long before he got it.

[Poppy]

I do feel really bad for you and your challenges with daycare.

However, I am thinking of it from their perspective. You did not notify them of the illness. Your DD starts saying she needs Clorox wipes to disinfect the toilet after use. They find out the name and the second word is "contagiosum".

Look, the employees probably have some kind of trauma response at this point with families hiding illness symptoms, seeing as how we're in this global pandemic and people have been such assholes. I'm glad you were able to sort it out, but I can definitely understand their hesitance.

[picksthemusic]

Both my kids had molloscum as littles (both got it quite bad, thanks to swimming lessons), and they have no visible scarring. It's scary when they have it, but my kids have no lasting effects from it.

Good luck!

[af1212]

Aug 9, 2021 9:29:32 GMT -5 Poppy said:

I do feel really bad for you and your challenges with daycare.

However, I am thinking of it from their perspective. You did not notify them of the illness. Your DD starts saying she needs Clorox wipes to disinfect the toilet after use. They find out the name and the second word is "contagiosum".

Look, the employees probably have some kind of trauma response at this point with families hiding illness symptoms, seeing as how we're in this global pandemic and people have been such assholes. I'm glad you were able to sort it out, but I can definitely understand their hesitance.

This is what I’m thinking as well. I’m honestly surprised the doctor didn’t offer a note at the first appointment.

What you described is pretty much exactly what went through my mind whe the parent dropped the kid off on a camping trip. Kid shows up and gets dropped off in my care for next 48 hours. Has rash on face and arm. Ask her if she knows what’s up - it has “contagious” right in the name!!! She says it could last a year or two. I am responsible for not just her care but the care of all of the other girls as well. I totally had a whirlwind moment of panic while I tried to figure out my next steps.

I still just cannot imagine why the parent wouldn’t have said anything - and really providing a doctors note would have been the most responsible thing to do.

[waverly]

I imagine an experienced daycare provider might have heard of it before. But yeah, when I did drop DD off with it covered I did mention it (this was after we saw the doctor not before).

I've had daycare make us give notes for the weirdest/ dumbest stuff though and then other more serious stuff didn't bat an eye. It's not consistent, but it's a loophole we have to jump through, and that was before Covid.